Hi Annbon, thank you for writing. I, too, find Dr Richman a sweetie. I appreciate his gentleness. Still, I'm totally ambivalent just now about the surgery, no less the discogram.

It's next week.

Hi Liza,

If I had to do a procedure like that I would only do it with him. As I stated previously Dr. Richman and I have gone through a lot together, so many procedures, blockst etc. So you are in great hands. He always treats you as he would want to be treated. Good Luck and keep us posted.

Ann

Thanks for the support, Ann.

It's scheduled for next Friday, but I'm going to see if can be the following Friday, so I'll have a meeting with my neurologist first.

I'm very confused. The surgeons all hate the way my spine looks, with no fusion and loose screws, instability. But I'm feeling "relatively" comfortable. I mean there's never a day that I don't think about my back, how it's doing, how to protect it; I'm scared of falling or getting pushed, but again, relatively stable in terms of pain, not taking pain meds except unusual days. I'm limited in activities but I've begun to accept that.

:)Hi LizaJane,

Are you having surgery as HSS? If yes who is doing it? The hospital is a amazing facility and as I stated before I have no complaints to speak of.
Being admitted so many times the care is superior time and time again and Dr. Richman has always made himself available. Again good luck.
Also, it's the only hospital I have ever been in that does not spell like a hospital.

Ann;)

I had a bad experience with HSS ....Someone recommended one of the surgeons there for me...He is the only surgeon I have seen out of almost 20 to recommend nothing for me...Well I should not say nothing....He referred me to another doctor ....a neurologist that does not accept any insurance...In other words, he just dumped me ...It was one of the strangest appts I have ever had with a doc....Someone since suggested to me to go back and see Cammissa or Sandhu, but I found Dr. Bitan instead and like him very much.

new surgeon, date picked for AP fusion with cages
 

On Gloria's advice, I made and appt with Dr Bitan, who surprsingly, saw me the day after I filled out the online request for an appt. Of the three surgeons I've talked to, he gave the clearest and most believables scenario of what would happen if I did not have surgery.

As I have zero fusion at L3/4/5, I am held up by two titanium rods. I have 4 or 5 loose screws. He says that surgery is elective as to time, but is inevitable. The hardware has to fail, as it was not make to withstand the pressure of my upper body. The rods could break, or the vertebrae could break, and either would be excruciating. The screws could break. It could be a mess. It might not happen for years and years, maybe decades, but it will happen.

I believe him.

He did not want me to have a discogram to find my pain generator (thank goodness). Instead, he said an EMG, and if that's not helpful, selective nerve root blocks. But the neuro who did the EMG and the one I usually see both say the pain is from L4 clinically, and they do not see a need to extend the fusion down, nor to do anymore localization procedures. They say the location of the pain says it all: buttock to FRONT of thigh, stops at knee. Both said only L4 does that.

So, it's June 19 at Lenox Hill. College kids home for the summer, so I won't be alone.

If recovering from this differs from a straight posterior fusion, I'd like all advice about preparations for surgery anyone has to offer.

thanks all.

LizaJane,

I am so happy that you are having your surgery....I am certain you will have a good experience at Lenox Hill and like Dr. Bitan...

Gloria